經文
Scripture
啟示錄2:1-7
Revelation 2:1-7
「你要寫信給以弗所教會的使者，說：那右手拿著七顆星、在七個金燈臺中間行走的這樣說：
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands:
我知道你的行為、勞碌、忍耐，也知道你不能容忍惡人。你也曾察驗那自稱為使徒卻不是使徒的，看出他們是假的。
“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.
你能忍耐，曾為我的名勞苦而不困倦。
I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.
然而，有一件事我要責備你，就是你把起初的愛心拋棄了。
But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
所以你要回想你是從哪裏墜落的，並且要悔改，做起初所做的工作。你若不悔改，我就臨到你那裏，把你的燈臺從原處挪去。
Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
然而你還有一件可取的事，就是你恨惡尼哥拉一黨人的行為，這也是我所恨惡的。
Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
凡有耳朵的，都應當聽聖靈向眾教會所說的話。得勝的，我必將神樂園中生命樹的果子賜給他吃。」
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’”
一、基督認識以弗所教會
- Christ Knows the Church in Ephesus
主耶穌以「右手拿著七顆星、在七個金燈臺中間行走」的身份向以弗所教會說話。
The Lord Jesus speaks to the church in Ephesus as the one who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.
這提醒教會：基督認識教會的真實情況，也親自與教會同在。
This reminds the church that Christ knows its real condition and is personally present with it.
祂不是只看外表，而是知道信徒的行為、勞碌、忍耐和內心。
He does not only see outward appearances; He knows believers’ works, toil, endurance, and hearts.
二、以弗所教會值得肯定的地方
2. What Was Commendable in the Ephesian Church
以弗所教會有許多值得肯定的表現。
The church in Ephesus had many commendable qualities.
他們勞碌、忍耐，不容忍惡人，也察驗自稱使徒卻不是使徒的人，看出他們是假的。
They labored, endured, would not tolerate evil, and tested those who claimed to be apostles but were not, finding them false.
他們也為主的名勞苦，並不困倦，又恨惡尼哥拉一黨人的行為。
They also bore up for the Lord’s name without growing weary and hated the works of the Nicolaitans.
這提醒我們：愛真理、分辨錯謬、持守聖潔和堅忍服事，都是寶貴的。
This reminds us that loving truth, discerning error, maintaining holiness, and persevering in service are precious.
三、主嚴肅的責備：失去起初的愛
3. The Lord’s Serious Rebuke: Abandoning First Love
然而，主說：「有一件事我要責備你，就是你把起初的愛心拋棄了。」
Yet the Lord says, “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.”
以弗所教會沒有失去真理，也沒有停止勞碌，卻漸漸失去了對主和對人的愛。
The Ephesian church had not lost truth or stopped laboring, but it gradually lost love for the Lord and for people.
真理若沒有愛，容易變成批評、比較、驕傲和自我證明。
Truth without love easily becomes criticism, comparison, pride, and self-justification.
一個人可以正確地指出別人的錯，卻沒有眼淚、禱告、忍耐和恩慈。
A person may correctly point out another’s error yet have no tears, prayer, patience, or kindness.
四、「起初的愛」是甚麼？
4. What Is “First Love”?
「起初的愛」不是指初信時的情緒或興奮，而是指對基督單純、真實和優先的愛。
“First love” does not refer merely to the emotions or excitement of early faith, but to a simple, genuine, and prioritized love for Christ.
它也包括因愛主而產生的愛人、服事、禱告、傳福音和關懷。
It also includes loving others, serving, praying, sharing the gospel, and showing care because of love for the Lord.
起初的愛表現在具體行動中：安靜禱告、主動關懷、不計回報的服事、饒恕、接待和付出。
First love is expressed in concrete actions: quiet prayer, proactive care, service without expecting reward, forgiveness, hospitality, and giving.
五、主要求的三個行動
5. The Lord’s Threefold Call to Action
主對以弗所教會說：要回想、要悔改、要做起初所做的工作。
The Lord told the Ephesian church to remember, repent, and do the works it did at first.
回想，是承認自己從哪裡墜落。
Remembering means acknowledging where one has fallen.
悔改，是承認失去愛是罪，並轉向主。
Repenting means admitting that losing love is sin and turning back to the Lord.
做起初所做的工作，是不只停留在感受，而是重新以具體行動愛主愛人。
Doing the works done at first means not remaining in feelings but once again loving God and people through concrete action.
六、燈臺被挪去的警告
6. The Warning of Removing the Lampstand
主說，若不悔改，祂要把燈臺從原處挪去。
The Lord said that if they did not repent, He would remove their lampstand from its place.
燈臺代表教會的見證；燈臺被挪去，表示教會可能失去為主發光的見證。
The lampstand represents the church’s witness; its removal means the church may lose its witness and light for the Lord.
這不是說主會輕易放棄祂的教會，而是提醒教會：若失去愛，即使保留組織、聚會和宗教活動，也可能失去真正的光。
This does not mean the Lord easily abandons His church, but it warns that if love is lost, a church may retain organization, gatherings, and religious activity while losing its true light.
七、恨惡罪，也要持守愛
7. Hate Evil, Yet Keep Love
主肯定以弗所教會恨惡尼哥拉一黨人的行為，並說祂也恨惡這些行為。
The Lord commended the Ephesian church for hating the works of the Nicolaitans, saying He also hated them.
這表示信徒不應對罪妥協，也不應把包容誤解為對罪漠不關心。
This shows that believers should not compromise with sin or mistake tolerance for indifference toward evil.
但守住真理不能以失去愛為代價。
Yet holding fast to truth must not come at the cost of losing love.
我們可以恨惡罪，卻仍要愛罪人；可以持守真理，卻不以標籤、羞辱或排斥代替愛心。
We may hate sin while still loving sinners; we may uphold truth without replacing love with labels, shame, or exclusion.
八、得勝者的應許：生命樹的果子
8. The Promise to the Overcomer: Fruit From the Tree of Life
主應許得勝的，必將神樂園中生命樹的果子賜給他吃。
The Lord promised to grant the one who conquers to eat from the tree of life in the paradise of God.
這不是靠人的努力賺取救恩，而是靠基督的恩典勝過罪、試探、冷淡和分裂。
This is not salvation earned by human effort but victory over sin, temptation, coldness, and division through Christ’s grace.
生命樹的果子指向永恆生命、與神相交和最終的圓滿盼望。
The fruit of the tree of life points to eternal life, communion with God, and final fullness of hope.
九、今天可以怎樣回應？
9. How Can We Respond Today?
第一，省察自己是否只有真理而沒有愛。我們是否常常指出別人的問題，卻少有眼淚、禱告和付出？
First, examine whether you have truth without love. Do you often point out others’ problems while having few tears, prayers, or acts of giving?
第二，回想起初。回想初信、初服事或單純愛主的日子，看看哪些行動如今悄悄停了。
Second, remember your beginning. Recall the days when you first believed, first served, or simply loved the Lord, and see which actions have quietly stopped.
第三，悔改並重新行動。安靜禱告、主動關懷、不計回報的服事、饒恕和接待，也許正等待我們重新拾起。
Third, repent and act again. Quiet prayer, proactive care, service without expecting reward, forgiveness, and hospitality may be waiting for us to pick up again.
第四，不以立場取代愛心。弟兄姊妹可能因政治判斷、移居選擇、對不同議題的看法，甚至一則社交媒體貼文而彼此疏遠。
Fourth, do not let positions replace love. Brothers and sisters may become distant because of political judgments, decisions to migrate, views on different issues, or even a social media post.
第五，愛那些與自己想法不同的人。若我們只願愛與自己想法相同的人，起初的愛便可能已被群體立場悄悄取代。
Fifth, love those who think differently. If we love only those who agree with us, first love may have quietly been replaced by group identity.
十、禱告
10. Prayer
親愛的天父：
Dear Heavenly Father,
感謝祢藉著啟示錄提醒我：祢認識教會的勞碌、忍耐和忠心，也看見我們內心是否仍有愛。
Thank You for reminding me through Revelation that You know the church’s labor, endurance, and faithfulness, and that You see whether love still remains in our hearts.
主啊，求祢光照我，使我看見自己是否把真理變成批評、比較、驕傲或自我證明的工具。
Lord, shine Your light into my life and show me whether I have turned truth into a tool for criticism, comparison, pride, or self-justification.
求祢赦免我，因為我可能常常指出別人的問題，卻少有眼淚、禱告和付出。
Forgive me, for I may often point out others’ problems while having few tears, prayers, or acts of giving.
求祢使我回想起初，悔改，並做起初所做的工作。
Help me remember my beginning, repent, and do the works I did at first.
求祢醫治我心中的冷硬，賜我清楚、耐心、眼淚與恩慈。
Heal the hardness in my heart and give me clarity, patience, tears, and kindness.
求祢使我不因政治判斷、移居選擇、不同意見或社交媒體貼文而疏遠弟兄姊妹。
Keep me from becoming distant from brothers and sisters because of political judgments, decisions to migrate, differing opinions, or social media posts.
求祢使我不只愛與自己想法相同的人，而是靠祢的恩典愛所有按祢形象受造的人。
Help me not love only those who agree with me, but by Your grace love all people made in Your image.
主啊，求祢不容我們的燈臺只剩外形，而失去了祢的光。
Lord, do not let our lampstand remain only in form while losing Your light.
奉主耶穌基督的名祈求，阿們。
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.
結語
Conclusion
啟示錄2:1-7提醒我們，教會要守住真理，也要守住起初的愛。
Revelation 2:1-7 reminds us that the church must hold fast to truth while also keeping its first love.
真理沒有愛，會變成冷硬；愛沒有真理，會失去方向。
Truth without love becomes cold and hard; love without truth loses direction.
因此，今天不要只問自己是否正確，也要問自己是否仍有愛；不要只守住立場，也要守住對主和對人的愛。
Therefore, today do not only ask whether you are right; ask whether you still have love. Do not only hold your position; hold on to love for the Lord and for people.
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